Friction shock-absorbing mechanism



" provide an arrangement embodying all the UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JoHN'F. o'coNNoIz., 'oF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, As'sIGNoIt To WILLIAM H. MINER, or cHAzY,

NEW YORK FRICTION LSHOCK-ABSORBING MECHANISM.

specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jim@ '17, 1,.,19;

Application led September 23, 1918. Serial N o. 255,242.

T o all whom, it may fron/'cru l.

Be 1t known that l, JoinY F. QCoNNon,

.a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented acertaln new 'and luseful l Improvement in Friction Shock- Absorbing Mechanisms, of Which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact descriptiom reference being had to the accompanying drawings', forming a part of this specification.

This -invention relates to improvements in friction shock absorbing mechanisms.

lleretofore, in the art4 of railway friction draft gears, it has vbeen customary to emplo \y a series of friction elements and a spring'associated with apifriction shell and casing together` with' a retaining bolt for maintainingr the spring underan` initial comjnession. The object 'of n'laiiitaining the spring under4 an, initial compression is to always insure proper contact between the various frictionelements and take up for all "wear that occurs during service.

Act-ual practice has demonstrated that the bolts employedfor the purpose above indicated are subject to extremely 'severe tension shocks during vthe release actions of the .mechanisms. This is occasioned by the fact that the bolt floats 'or is free during )the compressive stroke and ren'iains free'or floating during the release action until the elements approach their normal position. The elements of the mechanism, as they ap proach their normal position during the re- -lcasehave acquired a great Vmomentum whichmust be taken up by the bolt vwithY theresult .that the bolt is sometimes broken or is stretched beyond its elastic limit.

The object of the present invention is to advantages of friction mechanisms of wthe above indicated typewith the spring under a preliminary compression and wherein 4the use of a retainer bolt is eliminated.

In 'the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is averticahlongitudinal, sectional View of a portion of a;

railwaydraft rigging showing my improvements in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional view, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig., Sis an end View of the' retainer ca'p,A detached, Figs. p4 and 5 are side and end elevations, respectively, of

a friction mechanism proper showing another manner of carrying out my invention.

Referring first to the construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I have shown my improved shock absorbing mechanism as forming part of a railway draft rigging, the latter including adraw bar 10, yoke 11, front follower 1,2, and supporting saddle 13, it being understood that suitable stops are provided on the draft sills of the car.

The shock absorliing mechanism proper, as shown, comprises a. substantially cylinjdrical casting A, a rear preliminary spring follower' B, a front retaining cap C, wedge l), friction shoes-E, and main spring l".

The casting A combines a friction shell proper 14 and va spring casing 15, the casting A being open at both ends. At its rear end, it is provided ,on vthe interior thereof with an annular shoulder 16 with f which cooperates a corresponding annular 75 shoulder 17 formed on the follower P. As will be understood, the follower B -is inserted jfrom the front en'd of the casting A.

The arrangement of friction shoes, wedge and spring is of well known form and need not be specifically described.

The shell 14 `of the casting A is formed on itsl outer side with rearwardly facing, diametricalhr disposed, quadrant shoulders 18--18. The cap t) is of generally cylindrical form with its outer end extending over and engaging the wedge l). The cap C is provided with a rearwardly extending annular flange p ortion 19 which. at its rear end, is formed on the interior thereof with ,forwardly facing, diametricall disposed, quadrant shoulderslltll. T eshoulders 18 and 118 are so arranged, as will be evident from an inspection of Figs. 2 and 3, that the cap is placed over the shell when in one position, as for instance,`the horizontal position indicated by dotted linesv in Fig. 2and is then turned 90 so as to' ,engage said shoulders. To prevent accidental turning of the cap with' respect to the casting A, after Y the parts are in placein. the draft rigging, the lcap is formed with upper and lower horizontal' portions- 20-'-2(),` as shown in` Figs. 2 and 3, which engage with theupper and lower arms of theyoke strap, as will be understood. L

The cap is formed with an opening, as indicated at 21, suitable for the admission Ot' a plunger by which theparts of the gear propermay be p'laced under compression in y a bulldozer While the cap is being applied.

With the arrangement above described, it-

is evident that the spring" F can be placedV under any desired compression when the cap 'is applied and all the advantages. of a retaining boltobtained. Furthermore, the connection between the cap and the casing is extremely strong andwell adapted to resist the heavy shocks imposed thereon. In

. addition, by ,eliminating the use cfa retaining bolt, I am enabled to employ a simpl'e form of reliminaryspring follower at t-lie,v rearV en( of the friction shell, which could not be done in the fermer types Where the retainer bolt has had to be anchored to the rear Wallof the friction shell or spring -casing. 20'

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the cap Ais formed in two parts C1 and C2. These'parts are provided with corresponding tongued and' grooved sections, as 'indicated at 40 and 41 in Fig. 5, the tongued and grooved sections being formed on alternate, spaced flanges of the two cap members C1 and C2, as shown .in Fig. 4. As will be understood, the two members of the ing annular shoulder 21.8 coperable With a continuous annular shoulder 31,8 on the4 slid forwardly to engage the tongued and cap are formedl with an vinwardly extend grooved portions 40 and 4.1. As will be understood, the. cap is applied While the gear is under compression in a bulldozer or the like and when the gear is released and the two-part cap in place, it cannot become accidentally disengaged.

l. In a friction shock absorbin .mecha' nism, the combination with a friction shell, friction elements coperable therewith and extending partly beyqnd one end of said shell, andispring means adaptedfto-resist 'relative movement between said elements and shell, of means for limiting the outward movement of said elements with re spect to the shell, said means including a cap extending over the outer end of said elements, and eoperable shoulders on the shell and cap, saidcap comprising a pluralit-y of Ipart-s detachably interleclied with each other and held in operative condition. by the friction elements.- J.

Y 2. In a shock absorbing mechanism, the combination 'with a hollow casting, of cushioning means disposed Within said castin and extended partly beyond one end thereo and a cap operable with said casting and means, said cap` and casting having cop- 'erable opposed shoulders arranged to limit the separating movement of the cap and casting, said cap compisin pieces. having dctacha'le sV ouldered connection with each other, the pieces of said cap being assembled with each other by shifting them relatively, the cap pieces being prevented from relative separation by Athe cushioning4 means extended beyond the end of the casting and engaging the cap.

In witness that I claim the -foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 9th day of Sept., ISHS.A

.ieiiii' r. oeoinion.

a multiole of 

